Reckitt’s Vanish shows how people with autism find comfort in their clothes

This year, for World Autism Awareness Day, Reckitt’s Vanish stain-remover brand and Havas London are building on its award-winning “Me, Myself & I” film by Tom Hooper that took the prestigious Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising Award in the U.K. last year. The “More Than Just Clothes" pledge launched Tuesday with two 60-second, documentary-style films directed by Dan and Ben Tubby that tell the stories of Lani and Cozzie, two real autistic teen girls who find comfort in their clothing. As in last year’s film, which walked us through another teen’s journey of navigating life with Autism, Lani and Cozzie discuss what their day-to-day lives are like—feeling overwhelmed, trying to fit in, mimicking others and masking their true feelings. They go on to discuss how wearing their favorite clothing item makes them feel safer and secure. To illustrate each girl’s relationship with her favorite garment, the films use animation to represent how each girl feels when they wear it. The new films aim to elevate more voices and tell more stories of autistic people, as no two experiences are the same, said Tom King, creative strategist at Havas London. The campaign also aims to educate and equip the pubic and decision makers in schools, businesses, sports clubs and event venues with the information they need to support the clothing needs of autistic people. “For autistic people, clothing means a lot more to them because it enables them to self-regulate,” King told Ad Age, adding that 92% of autistic people experience sensory sensitivity, while 73% of autistic people say clothing can be a way to navigate these sensitivities daily. As part of the pledge, Vanish is asking people to recognize that clothes matter to many autistic people, by remembering the acronym JUST. • J: Leave Judgment out of clothing. • U: Understand the clothing needs of autistic people. • S: See clothes as Sensory tools. • T: Help everyone Thrive by feeling empowered to wear clothes they’re comfortable in. The pledge is also supported by the “More Than Just Clothes Pledge Book,” an online educational tool based on autistic people’s stories and experiences that provides more information about the importance of clothing and inclusive approaches to clothing. Those who sign the pledge will also receive a social toolkit, including posters and a “badge” to share across social media. The campaign is part of Vanish’s effort to transition from a stain removing brand to a garment care brand by showing the public why people care for their clothes, King said. “Research has showed us that people are a lot more motivated to care for their clothes for their own personal reasons and their emotional reasons, not necessarily [because of] the [carbon impact of waste],” he said. Meanwhile, the decision to highlight girls once again for the campaign came from the insight that most research related to autism is centered around boys. Still, girls are three times less likely to receive a diagnosis than boys, and autism symptoms are less understood among girls. “There are gendered symptoms and signs within the condition, and the main difference is that girls tend to have a tendency to mask more than boys do,” King said. To drive further awareness of the pledge, Vanish is also partnering with English model and TV personality Christine McGuinness for a second year, along with a selection of micro-influencers from schools, businesses and sports to produce social media posts encouraging people to sign. The campaign will run primarily on online video. “A big part of the campaign this year is how we actually drive change,” said Kate Pozzi, creative director at Havas London. “While last year’s launch was about awareness, how we deepen our understanding comes to life when we look at the pledge and take a piece of action.”

Reckitt’s Vanish shows how people with autism find comfort in their clothes

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